


Ignite the Spark (Here, Now, Then)

by ThanhXuan



Category: Super Junior
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Mutual Pining, Romance, birthday fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2020-01-04 18:29:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,747
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18349283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ThanhXuan/pseuds/ThanhXuan
Summary: Hyukjae's birthday brings along an old friend and many other surprises.





	Ignite the Spark (Here, Now, Then)

**Author's Note:**

> happy birthday hyukjae baby! have the bestest day ever, i love you so much sometimes it hurts, and yet i wldnt ever change a thing; falling in love is the greatest mistake that i've ever made, you're beautiful and talented and kind, you deserve the greatest things in the world, i love you so damn much, be happy always

Hyukjae’s never really been one to celebrate birthdays. It’s not that he holds some kind of visceral dislike for everything that they represent, or that he has bad memories associated to them—he just… doesn’t really care, is all. It’s a bit odd, he knows—maybe even a little shocking for some—but he’s never quite understood the loud, cheerful zeal that usually surrounds birthdays. Even when it comes to his own. For him it’s just another day lost among thousands of others, just another year in one’s life. Why should he feel so happy to draw closer to his own death anyway? It’s not quite something that should warrant that much excitement in his opinion.

In addition, while Hyukjae enjoys birthday cakes as much as the next person, receiving presents has always been a bit of an awkward thing for him. It leaves him wrong-footed every single time, unsure what to say, or how to respond. His family didn’t have much money, growing up, and he always felt a bit guilty when his parents went out of their ways to buy him expensive gifts. Now he’s a lot older—and richer—but this uneasy feeling still sticks with him like an unshakable habit.

It’s a bit of a hassle anyway, isn’t it, to have to remember people’s birthdays every single year without a fault. And then you have to offer presents to _them_. It’s a lot nicer to be giving rather than receiving, that’s for sure, but having to find new, original ideas each time tends to become a bit bothersome. Hyukjae makes sure to remember his family’s and his best-friend-slash-co-worker Kyuhyun’s, but even they know not to expect too much from him, besides maybe a text and a birthday card. For other people he’s never really bothered.

Even today, as he officially turns thirty-three, Hyukjae only regards his own birthday with mild indifference. He probably would’ve forgotten entirely if he hadn’t received a handful of congratulatory texts upon waking up. Yawning in disinterest, he deletes the notifications and then goes on with his morning routine as usual. He doesn’t forget to call his mom soon after taking a shower of course, thanking her warmly for giving birth to him and for raising him to be the man that he’s proud to be today. After that he eats a bowl of instant seaweed soup for breakfast, just for tradition’s sake; and that’s about the total amount of efforts that he’s willing to spend on his birthday.

Then Hyukjae’s off to work. Most of his co-workers don’t know that today’s his birthday, so when he reaches the office, they only greet him with mild, distracted _hello_ ’s and _how are you_ ’s. He greets them back as he heads to his desk without fuss or excessive excitement for the day to come.

By midday, Hyukjae’s all but forgotten about his birthday. He’s too caught up in his projects and in meetings to pay attention to the texts that he receives from every now and then. Then it’s lunchtime, and Kyuhyun saunters up to him with a mischievous smirk.

 

“Happy birthday, old man!” he exclaims loudly across the bullpen; some people turn their heads towards them in curiosity. From the smug look on his face, Hyukjae suspects that Kyuhyun did it on purpose. He knows fully well that Hyukjae doesn’t particularly enjoy being the subject of endless birthday niceties. “How’s your day so far, old bean?”

 

Hyukjae rolls his eyes, shrugging. “Just normal, I guess,” he says as they head to the cafeteria together.

 

“Don’t be so boring, old bag,” Kyuhyun tuts disapprovingly. “I’m taking you out tonight to celebrate.”

 

“No, you’re not,” Hyukjae scoffs and levels an exasperated look at his best friend. “And stop calling me old already.”

 

“Yes, I _am_. No negotiation allowed,” Kyuhyun retorts. Then he adds with a snicker, “old bat.”

 

Then he pushes Hyukjae into the elevator, and they bicker all the way down to the cafeteria. Soon enough, Hyukjae forgets once again about his birthday.

 

*

 

Hyukjae stifles a yawn as Kyuhyun continues to talk his ear off about whatever it is that he wants to do for his birthday tonight. There’s really no use in telling him that he’s not interested; Kyuhyun swears that he’ll ‘ _personally drag his ass through the streets if it’s what it takes to get you to your own damn party_ ’. He’s been going on about it for the best part of the afternoon now; Hyukjae stopped protesting when he realized that Kyuhyun wasn’t even listening to him.

After clocking out, the two friends opted to stop by one of the many coffee shops near their building instead of going straight home and getting ready for tonight, even if Hyukjae still isn’t quite thrilled about the idea. The shop that they pick is already crowded with patrons and office workers. They’ll probably have to way for a good fifteen minutes before it’s finally their turn to order. Kyuhyun doesn’t mind; he’s determined to make use of that time to convince him to go to a club. Which is _totally_ out of the question, Hyukjae retorts sharply, thanks ever so much.

As they start bickering again, Hyukjae distractedly moves forward along with the queue. He accidentally bumps into the man waiting in line in front of him.

 

“Oh, sorry,” he says, stepping back apologetically.

 

“No worries,” the man says as he turns around, and then—“wait, is this— _Hyukjae_?” he exclaims in surprise. “Is it really you? Hyukjae?”

 

Hyukjae looks up, equally surprised, and— _oh_. It’s—fuck, but this is— _Donghae_. Lee Donghae, from university. Damn, it, he thinks a little dizzily—it’s like a flood of faded memories from the past slamming into him.

But that wouldn’t be right, would it? Because Hyukjae never really forgot. It’s almost as if he was back on campus, all of these years ago, fighting through revisions and exams, hanging out with friends—with Donghae.

For the first time since the beginning of the day, Hyukjae can feel the aftermath of time stretching by. It’s been, what, almost half a dozen years since they last saw each other? Maybe even more than. That was when they’d graduated and gone straight into their first jobs, fresh from university. Hyukjae went to work for a big financial group in Seoul, while Donghae moved to Paris after being hired by a famous multinational company.

They couldn’t have been more than twenty-five at the time. Now they’re both well into their thirties and, fuck, but it feels a bit odd to be brought back so suddenly to memories of their youth.

Donghae looks older and exactly the same all at once. It’s strangely easy to pick out the differences between what he used to look like as a boy and this mature, handsome-looking man. His eyes are still as beautiful as Hyukjae remembers them—soft, warm, full of a depth that drives people to drown into them. Then there’s his smile, all playful and mischievous, but also a little shy. And the way that he holds himself, with an odd combination of confidence and awkwardness that makes the corners of Hyukjae’s mouth tick up in nostalgia.

Some hints show that Donghae’s aged, too. He shows off a roguish haircut that makes him look young and grown-up all at the same time. He wears a fancy, neat-looking suit that highlights his attractive build. His body looks so much stronger as well, full of a mute sort of strength in his shoulders and arms. It makes Hyukjae want to feel it properly with his hands. The thought makes him feel warm all over and he gulps discreetly.

He’s always had a bit of a crush on Donghae—and he suspects that it was entirely mutual, too. They used to flirt all the time back them, from the moment that they first met and all the way through their five years of university. It started with shy, secret little looks and stolen looks; later it was compliments; and then it was daring touches of hands against hands, knees against knees, thighs against thighs. Not only that, but they also understood each other in a way that very few other people did. There just used to be _something_ between them, building and building. They’d laugh and bicker and hang out together all the time, as if they couldn’t quite help but stay close to each other.

And yet neither of them ever acted on this huge mass of attraction that gave rhythm to so much of their friendship. It wasn’t for lack of bravery, or because of obliviousness. It was just that they were too career-oriented to risk falling in love so young. Donghae had always planned to move abroad for his first job, maybe even permanently, and Hyukjae would never have wanted to spare the time or efforts for a romantic relationship when he was so determined to succeed.

Hyukjae doesn’t think that either of them regrets making this choice. But now that they’re older and wiser—that they have the careers that they always wanted, that they’re standing right in front of each other years later—all of these reasons seem immaterial.

 

“It’s really you, Hyukjae, isn’t it?” Donghae says again. A wide smile blooms across his face, and Hyukjae’s thrown back to all of the group projects that they worked on together, when Donghae used to smile to him exactly like this. “Fuck, it’s been so long! How’ve you been?”

 

Flushed, Hyukjae returns his smile. “Yeah, hi,” he laughs. Somewhere from the corners of the eyes, he sees Kyuhyun glancing between them in obvious interest.

 

“Fuck, it’s been so long!” Donghae laughs in wonder. “How’ve you been?”

 

“I’ve been great,” he replies. Then like a knee-jerk reaction from the past, he chides sternly, “don’t swear.”

 

Donghae laughs again, louder this time. He reaches out to and warmly squeezes Hyukjae’s arm. “You haven’t changed, have you?” he says with a fond voice. “Always telling me off for swearing.”

 

“Well someone has to,” Hyukjae retorts playfully. “I didn’t know you were back in Seoul; got tired of France, then?”

 

“I just came back last month,” Donghae shrugs. They step along with the queue when it finally moves forward a bit, and Hyukjae barely registers Kyuhyun following them. “France was great,” Donghae continues, “but I guess I just missed home, you know?”

 

Hyukjae nods in understanding. Donghae had always been very close to his family; it’d been one of his main worries, being so far from his mom and his brother, when they talked about his desire to work abroad.

“I’m glad to see you back. You look good.” A short pause goes by as Hyukjae realizes what he just said. Next to him, Kyuhyun rolls his eyes. “I mean, um,” he clears his throat. “You look like you’re doing well. You know.”

 

“Thanks.” Donghae gives him a crooked grin, then looks him up appreciatively from head to toe. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

 

Hyukjae laughs; yes, nothing seemed to have changed indeed. That’s just like Donghae, flirting with that bold, daring demeanor of his. It’s something that Hyukjae’s always liked about him. For a brief second he wonders how it’d feel like if they kissed.

 

“Right, so,” Kyuhyun clears his throat suddenly; Hyukjae and Donghae startle, abruptly dragged out of the tiny bubble that seems to have formed around them. “Obviously Hyukjae is too busy flirting to introduce us properly, but hi,” he sticks his hand out and shares a firm handshake with Donghae, “I’m Kyuhyun, his best friend and co-worker. Also his birthday party organizer extraordinaire.” He grins widely. “Which you’re now officially invited to.”

 

Donghae blinks in surprise, before his face clears in remembrance. “Oh yeah! Today’s April 4, right?”

 

“Yeah,” Hyukjae bites down on his lower lip. _October 15_ , he remembers instinctively, and it makes him pause in surprise. He didn’t think that he’d still remember Donghae’s birthday after all these years, when he can’t even remember his own on the very day.

Blushing slightly, he says, “I mean, it’s—nothing, really. You don’t have to come or anything.”

 

“What are you saying?” Donghae grins. “It’s your birthday; of course I’ll be there!”

 

An odd silence settles between them as they look at each other—a little awkwardly, a little longingly. It’s like they can feel the decade of time that separates them from who they used to be and who they are now. Hyukjae wants to reach out and understand what it means for them, for their dusty yet ever-present friendship; where it’ll lead them to.

 

Kyuhyun yawns in boredom after another minute or two of silence. “We’re meeting up at nine,” he informs. “And we’re going to a club.”

 

This snaps Hyukjae out of his daze. “No, we’re _not_ ,” he frowns. “There will be _no club_.”

 

Kyuhyun wiggles his eyebrows challengingly. “That’s what you think.”

 

*

 

After sharing phone numbers and agreeing to meet up later, Donghae leaves first. Kyuhyun and Hyukjae then find a vacant table to sit at on the terrace, where they enjoy their drinks in silence and soak up the early April sunshine. Hyukjae thinks that it’s rather nice, until Kyuhyun decides to ruin it by asking, “so was he an ex-boyfriend or something?”

 

Hyukjae nearly chokes on his straw. “What?” he splutters. His face feels hot from embarrassment as he blushes. “No! He was just—and we were just—I mean, he wasn’t—”

 

“Right,” Kyuhyun rolls his eyes. “Because you’re making so much sense.”

 

“He _wasn’t_ ,” Hyukjae snaps, flustered. “I mean, we used to be friends in university, and we were pretty close. But that’s _it_.”

 

Kyuhyun releases a skeptical noise. “You looked like you wanted him to push you against a wall and kiss you senseless. And he did too.”

 

“I did _not_ ,” Hyukjae protests indignantly. And then, “wait— _did_ he?”

 

Laughing, Kyuhyun shakes his head and leans back into his seat. “You’re so pathetic,” he comments. “But yeah, I guess. He kept staring at you like the sun shined out of your ass or something, you know?”

 

“Oh,” Hyukjae says quietly, pleased and confused and hopeful all at once. He bites his lower lip. “We weren’t together, but we did have a—a _thing_.”

 

“What, like a _sex_ thing?” Kyuhyun frowns.

 

Hyukjae throws him a glare. “ _No_. Like a _romantic_ thing, alright? I liked him, and I’m pretty sure that it was, you know—mutual.” He stares down at his half-empty drink morosely. “But he moved to France right after university and I started my own job here, so nothing ever happened.”

 

“And do you _still_ like him?”

 

“I don’t know,” Hyukjae shrugs. “We used to be pretty close, and I don’t think I’ve ever liked someone as much as I liked him. When I saw him earlier, I just— _wanted_ him, you know? Just like I used to back in uni.”

Hyukjae shakes his head and grins a bit wistfully. Fuck, but he remembers when they used to hang out at each other’s place under the false pretense of studying; when they’d have dinner and go to the movies almost every week; when they’d just hang out together for no reason at all. Thinking back, it’s almost like he can still feel the pull—the fierce _yearning_ that made him want to kiss Donghae with every fiber of his body. Even earlier, when Donghae smiled that familiar smile and laughed that warm laugh, Hyukjae felt it build somewhere at the bottom of his belly—a warm, demanding something that curls and unfolds, that just _wants_. To be honest, he doesn’t dislike it terribly.

“But then we were, what, maybe twenty-something at the time? That was almost ten years ago; we’ve changed a lot since then. Maybe it’s just… nostalgia or something.”

 

Kyuhyun nods, humming pensively. “I guess we’ll see tonight, right?”

 

Shrugging again, Hyukjae fidgets a little self-consciously. “Yeah, maybe.” He can only dare to hope.

 

“On the brighter side,” Kyuhyun leers playfully, “if you get to pull tonight then it means that it’s pretty much a successful birthday party, eh?”

 

Hyukjae is startled into laughing. Well, he does have a point, doesn’t he?

 

*

 

In the end Kyuhyun relents and chooses to bring them to a bar. It’s rather noisy and crowded, but Hyukjae doesn’t mind; he’s just glad that they didn’t end up in a club. It took threatening his best friend in no uncertain terms to throttle him in the most painful ways if he did, but his warning paid off and he’s infinitely thankful for it.

When Hyukjae steps inside the bar, a handful of people that he knows from work is already here. They all greet him and congratulate him on his birthday, which is equally nice from them and awkward for him. For a while all he does is nod and accept a series of friendly handshakes. Then as soon as he finds the opportunity, he escapes to the counter and orders a drink. He releases a weary sigh as he waits for the barwoman to prepare his Mojito.

Donghae hasn’t arrived yet; Hyukjae isn’t sure whether he’s relieved or disappointed. He still feels a bit lost, to be honest. It’s been so many years since he last hung out with Donghae—since he even had a proper discussion with him; it’s been just as much time since he dared to dwell on his bereft feelings. Fuck, he thinks a little helplessly—but he had no idea that this—this _thing_ —and he doesn’t know if it’s just a crush or something more, he doesn’t know what he’s supposed to call it—he didn’t know that it could come back to him so quickly and abruptly.

Hyukjae doesn’t want to say, but he probably likes Donghae more than he’d like to admit. He’s not— _in love_ or anything—really, he isn’t. But he knows that if he’d let himself back then, in university, when they used to spend all of their free time together—fuck, but it would’ve been so easy to fall in love.

It’s always been so easy between the two of them. Donghae was kind and funny, and he took care of Hyukjae in a way that made him feel wanted and cherished. He knew when to give him space to breathe and leave him be, and when to comfort him.

Hyukjae’s had a couple of boyfriends and girlfriends over the years, and they were all great people. There’d been Yunho, and Boa, and Siwon who he’s still friends with. They used to make him laugh and they’d been so kind, and some of them he’d even been a bit in love with.

But none of them ever made him feel as complete as he knew he could have felt, if it’d been Donghae.

 

Hyukjae startles when someone touches his shoulder. He turns around with a soft blush, which intensifies two-fold when he meets Donghae’s eyes. “Oh,” he says, flustered. “You’re—… here.”

 

“I told you I’d come, didn’t I?” Donghae shrugs as if it’s the most normal, obvious thing to do in the world. He smiles. “I wouldn’t have missed it.”

 

“Thanks,” Hyukjae says quietly. His face still feels a bit warm; the crooked, pleased smile that Donghae offers him confirms that it’s rather noticeable. “I appreciate it.”

 

Donghae reaches out and squeezes his shoulder. His hand feels warm, strong. “Sure.”

 

The barwoman then hands Hyukjae his drink and takes Donghae’s order. The two of them stand close to each other, lost in a silence that’s both awkward and comfortable. And, from the way that Donghae keeps glancing his way every now and then, Hyukjae almost dares to think that he’s not the only one harboring this huge, confusing mass of feelings.

 

*

 

Sometime later Kyuhyun finds them at the bar and promptly drags them back to their small improvised party. Hyukjae is immediately subjected to another round of birthday niceties, which makes him fidget awkwardly. They keep patting his shoulders and congratulating him, as if it’s a feat to finally turn thirty-three, like it’s actually something to celebrate. It probably is a bit in all fairness, at least for some people, but in his case he doesn’t feel particularly different than he did when he turned thirty-two. Still, it’s nice of them to be here, with him, so he can’t really complain.

From the corners of the eyes, he can see Kyuhyun and Donghae watching him in amusement, obviously enjoying his discomfort. Hyukjae scowls. As he mumbles another clumsy _thank you_ , he then hastily introduces Donghae to divert attention. His tactic works, thank God; his co-workers latch onto him like vultures onto a prey.

Hyukjae just sits back and watches as Donghae is harassed with questions about him, his job, his life in Paris. It’s his turn to smile. Just like him, Donghae doesn’t do well with attention. He finds it confusing and awkward. Every time that he’s at the center of a conversation, he becomes shy and starts to fidget, while his face turns a rather pretty shade of pink. It’s another thing that they used to share in common when they’d been students, and apparently it’s still the case years later.

Donghae rubs his nape and laughs a little nervously as someone asks him about his current company. His eyes dart around the bar as if looking for an escape. Then Hyukjae’s and Donghae’s eyes meet, across the small crowd that gathered around them, and—

—and for a second, it’s like time stopped, and Hyukjae’s heart did too.

They just stare at each other, and it’s almost as if Hyukjae’s looking at an odd time lapse between the young boys that they used to be and the men that they are now. It’s odd and confusing and thrilling, and so many other things, and he doesn’t know whether he wants it to stop or go on forever. They stare, and stare, and stare. It doesn’t seem like time will ever start again, until—

—until someone bumps into Donghae, and reality comes back slamming in. The moment breaks, fading listlessly, slipping away like mist through open fingers.

Hyukjae can barely breathe.

 

*

 

“You really did throw me to the wolves out there, didn’t you?” Donghae groans as he drops in the seat next to Hyukjae. “Fuck,” he laughs, “that was _exhausting_.”

 

“Don’t swear,” Hyukjae chides automatically, earning an amused look. He knows it’s a bit rich of him to comment on Donghae’s language all the time considering that he can be pretty rude when he wants to, but it feels nice to tease him about it, like an inside joke. He shrugs, trying and failing to hide a smile. “It’s not so bad.”

 

“Of course you’d say that; it wasn’t you that they were interrogating for almost an hour,” Donghae rolls his eyes, but he’s grinning, too, and Hyukjae feels a bit warm inside.

 

Soon afterwards, they settle into a comfortable conversation as they sip idly on their drinks. They chat about everything and anything that comes to their mind, mostly about their lives since university. They tell each other about their jobs, what they love about them and what they’d rather do without— _like commuting_ , Donghae says very seriously. They talk about books that they’ve read lately and that they’d recommend; about their favorite TV series of the moment; about the Avengers movie that’s about to be released. They mention their families and send their regards.

Time doesn’t stop, but it does slip by, easy and seamless, until it almost feels like it’s only the both of them left in the world. Kyuhyun sometimes stops by to join in the conversation, bringing them back to reality, but he never stays for very long. Instead he sends discreet winks at Hyukjae behind Donghae’s back.

Their conversation then moves on to their years at university. Hyukjae is pleasantly surprised, but also not, to learn that Donghae remembers them with the same fondness that he feels. They reminisce about exams and revisions and hanging out, and all the other things that make these years some of their best.

Hyukjae just forgets about his birthday. It just feels like he met up with a dear old friend and they’re catching up, making up for lost time, trying to determine on what grounds they now stand.

 

“I—… I’ve always been a bit soft on you back then,” Donghae says suddenly.

 

Hyukjae stills for a moment. He meets Donghae’s eyes, and they share a look that feels both fleeting and endless.

 

“You know, in university?” Donghae chuckles self-deprecatingly as he gazes at Hyukjae, soft and fond, as if all of their past memories were playing out on his face. “I always wondered what you’d say if I kissed you.”

 

“I—” Hyukjae pauses. He feels hot, breathless—confused and happy all at once. It’s nothing that he didn’t already know, but for some reason it feels wonderfully liberating to have it confirmed. He takes a deep breath. “Yeah, I—… me too. I liked you too.”

 

Donghae smiles at him, bright and happy and hopeful. It’s a bit blinding, in all of the best ways.

 

*

 

They fall silent after that. The bittersweetness of their confession hangs in the air between them, fading bits by bits, while they try to relish in it for as long as it lasts.

When staying inside the bar becomes too much, they move outside to get some fresh air. It’s still a bit loud even out here; loud music and chatters drift to their ears each time that the door opens and closes. But it’s still a lot quieter, more intimate almost, in a way that Hyukjae doesn’t dare think too much about. He stares at the tip of his polished shoes, not daring to let his eyes glance to the side like he so wants to. Donghae stands right next to him, a steady, reassuring warmth. His shoulder brush against his own every so often, sending hopeful little flutters to mess with Hyukjae’s heart. He smells so very nice, too, like honey and sweet wood.

 

“Are you still?” Hyukjae asks softly, in the quietness of the night. He thinks that it’s a bit before midnight, before Thursday fades into Friday. In a few minutes, it won’t be his birthday anymore. For some reason, the thought makes his heart ache a little. “Soft on me?” he precises, even though he has a feeling that he doesn’t really need to.

 

When he finally dares to glance up, Donghae is already looking at him. His eyes are warm, hopeful, inviting. Hyukjae feels his heart skip a beat.

 

“I don’t know,” Donghae says. “It’s been years.”

 

“It has,” Hyukjae agrees. Almost ten of them.

 

Donghae steps closer, in an odd combination of nervousness and confidence. “Maybe.”

 

“Maybe what?” Hyukjae mumbles as his eyes drift briefly to Donghae’s thin lips.

 

“Maybe yes.”

Then Donghae is finally kissing him. He catches Hyukjae’s mouth with his own, and his lips are soft and warm. He tastes a little bittersweet from the cocktails that he drank earlier, and— _fuck_ , this is _perfect_. This is everything that Hyukjae could ever have asked for.

Donghae then flicks his tongue into Hyukjae’s mouth, sending shivers to run through him. In one breath their kiss shifts from tentative and careful, to deep, insistent. They groan in unison, kissing each other like they mean it, like they have years and years to make up for. Like they’ve never been afraid.

They’re not just boys anymore; Hyukjae can see it now. They’re older and proper adults, or at least they’re pretending to be, and falling in love isn’t such a scary thing as it used to be. He has no idea where this—beautiful, wonderful _thing_ will bring them—shit, but it’s been _less than a day_ since they found each other again.

But, _fuck_ —Hyukjae wants to _try_. He’s so very ready to finally seize their chance—to bring back to life that little spark of _maybe something a little more_ that’s always been here between them.

 

Donghae then pulls back ever so slightly, their mouths only a few inches apart. His hands rest heavily on Hyukjae’s waist as he pulls him impossibly closer. “Happy birthday, by the way,” he whispers hoarsely.

 

Hyukjae huffs a laugh and leans in to kiss him sweetly. “Yeah,” he says. “Happy birthday to me indeed.”

 

It’s midnight, and the day finally reaches the end of April 4, and Hyukjae thinks, _this is the best birthday._

 

**Author's Note:**

> i managed to post this on time!  this is just a bit over 4.7k, which i somehow managed to write in under 3 days, god. the things i'd do for lee hyukjae lmao! this is rather short (compared to my other stories i guess, haha), and it's just a fluffy, cute little thing, but i hope that you still enjoyed reading this as much as i enjoyed writing it! 
> 
> please remember to comment and upvote! that would mean the world to me, thank you so much ;;


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